An embodiment of the present invention relates generally to an amusement device, and more particularly, to an amusement device with a touchscreen configured to accept, generally simultaneously, a plurality of touch inputs.
Amusement devices having electronic games for computers and touchscreens or other types of amusement devices are generally well known in the art. Amusement devices, such as game machines, which allow a user to select games from a video display are well known in the art, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,856,787 (“Itkis”); U.S. Pat. No. 5,575,717 (“Houriet, Jr., et al.”); and U.S. Pat. No. 5,743,799 (“Houriet, Jr., et al.”), the entire contents which are incorporated herein by reference and each of which shows a touchscreen for making a game selection from a menu of games. Such game machines or amusement devices typically operate upon input of currency (i.e., coin, token, paper money, credit/debit cards or the like) and are installed in locations such as bars, restaurants, airports, shopping malls, video arcades, casinos or the like. The game choices may include card games, sports games, games of skill, games of chance, action games, trivia games, or the like.
Generally prior art games with touchscreen displays allow for only one touch input at a time. Thus, prior art devices do not allow for simultaneous multi-player functionality. Players must alternate turns in order to compete or play a game cooperatively. Further, many games are designed for single players only.
It is therefore desirable to provide an amusement device that is configured to enable simultaneous multi-player functionality. It is further desirable to provide such a device that is capable of allowing multi-player functionality using single player games while minimizing the need to alter programming code.